KAALtv.com

An attempted kidnapping occurred at the University of Minnesota campus around 12:10 a.m. Wednesday.

According to a crime alert, a woman was walking alone on University Avenue when she was approached by two males in a dark blue sedan. A suspect in the passenger seat of the car asked if the student needed help. When she replied "no," he got out of the car and confronted her on the sidewalk.

When she tried to defend herself with pepper spray, he pushed her to the ground and used the pepper spray on her. She screamed and the suspects drove away eastbound on University Avenue, according to the crime alert.

The description of the man who grabbed the woman is vague. She didn't see the driver at all.

KSTP has placed calls to U of M police, and we have not heard back.

This comes after a student was sexually assaulted by a man claiming to be a police officer near the U of M campus early Sunday morning. A similar assault also occurred in Fridley over the weekend.

U of M campus police recently increased patrols due to a rise in crime this fall semester.

Two students started an online petition calling for more U of M police patrols and more street lighting across campus. So far, more than 3,000 students have signed the petition.

Anyone with information on the attempted kidnapping is asked to call the Minneapolis Police Tip Line at 612-692-8477 and reference case number MP-13-394848.